Realistic or Modern Family Ties: 1980s Gangs - IC (Ended)

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Islington, London ~

Savannah Callahan and Kerry Patrick​

As she looked to her brother, Savannah couldn't help but notice his cheeks had reddened a little as he paid attention to Kerry. The way his mouth opened slightly, she hoped he wasn't about to say something at all mean or make her friend feel uncomfortable. The blonde stood somewhat tensely as she watched Braden wave back to Kerry. Thankfully, her brother finally spoke and his words were welcoming ones. Savannah's features softened to a relieved smile as Braden accepted the condolences offered to him. As her brother went on to comment about being in the presence of a beautiful woman, Savannah's eyes widened in shock and as he nervously stumbled over his words, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at what he was saying. Still, whatever it was, it was better than him being mean and letting Kerry leave.

"Oh, please. You will make me blush," Kerry said, fanning her hand in front of her face as she felt her cheeks burning up at the compliment. "You are right, though. From what I've seen, you do have a beautiful family... Exhibit A..." she said, holding her hand out to gesture to Savannah. She then smiled when Braden confirmed he didn't want her to leave. "As long as it's okay with both of you, I would love to join you for takeaway."

"Of course it's okay!" Savannah said, taking Kerry's hand and leading her into the lounge where she offered a seat to the brunette on the sofa. Turning away with her back to Kerry, Savannah glared at Braden, practically asking him what he was playing at. Hoping he wasn't teasing Kerry, she softened her features and sent her brother a teasing smirk. "Callum is taking way too long picking out some toys." Savannah made a beeline towards the staircase. "Brady, please keep Kerry company. Do you want a drink, Kerry?" Savannah asked. However, she started jogging up the stairs before hearing the answer, instead leaving Braden to deal with getting any requested beverage.

"Hmm. I'll have whatever you're drinking, please..." Kerry called back to Savannah before realising her friend had left it for Braden to get the drink for her. She looked to him and flashed a bashful smile. "Savvy is too kind. You really don't have to get me a drink," she politely told Braden. She briefly looked around at the pictures on the wall, in an awkward attempt to stop herself from staring at Braden. She was still secretly beaming at his comment about her being a beautiful woman. Despite her efforts, her eyes once again landed on the man's face as she took in his attractive features. "So... How's life back in Dublin? Is your mother okay? Sinead is a very sweet lady - she's always been so kind to me," she told him. Although it was in Sinead's jazz club that Kerry had suffered the most terrifying and traumatic event; witnessing people being murdered before she was kidnapped to be tortured herself, she could never hold her former, brief, employer accountable for it. Even if Sinead had never forgiven Kerry for her betrayal that followed, Kerry wouldn't have even considered holding any resentment towards the woman. She'd had no control over what the Morettis and East Harlem Crew did to the club that night.

"Do you get to come here, to London, often, or is life in Dublin super busy?" she curiously asked. "And more to the point, what's on the menu for takeaway tonight? Savvy and I have tried a few local places before, so I can tell you there's lots of choices."

Bellz (Braden)

 

[BloodLightning27]

Chapter 2: Making Connections
Tuesday 19th March 1985
...4 days later...
New York City: Evening - Mild, Clear Skies
~Manhattan: Taylor Brothers~​

Although they were hoping for another good night of getting more coke onto the street, it would seem that their employer would have other plans for them. Their meeting with Damien and Tony the previous night had left J.T a little uneasy because of his enjoyment to torment his enemies. Q was more calm about the matter, but still very much disliked it. So on their Tuesday Night, after spending most of their day distributing more cocaine into the streets of New York and hopefully extending Don Morietti's reach into the Cocaine business, they were later called to go meet with Tatianna, Don Moretti's Daughter and one of the Family's Caporegimes. This would take the two Brothers to the Tribeca Base. Both Q and J.T checked their Pistols before exiting their Mustang. Turning the safeties off, they holstered their weapons and took a quick look around before they met up with Tatianna herself, where they were taken to the basement. When she made a remark about the two Brothers being soft, J.T began silently simmering in anger, while Q remained more nonchalant. He straightened out his jacket, but felt rather dissatisfied with her remark that one of the Brothers couldn't handle violence.

When she explained what their next 'assignment' was, J.T just kept quiet while Q listened attentively. He was however a little appalled to learn that someone would even think about lying, or stealing...from the Moretti Family! Two guns...missing. Must be some very important ones if Tatianna has the people presumingly responsible tied up in the basement. "However we want...?" He scratched his chin before looking at his Brother, who only nodded before they followed Tatianna to meet with their...victims...

As they saw two men tied to chairs...as well as gagged, Q sighed before he and his Brother took off their pristine jackets. Because J.T didn't exactly get his fix going after Austin Hardy because their job was to only find him, not kill him. The two Brothers hung their jackets off on the other side of the room hopefully out of the blood splatter range. The first thing they did was separate the two men, with the more pragmatic Q making one of them watch J.T brutally beat the other with a pair of Brass Knuckles, punching him repeatedly as hard as he possibly could before pulling the cloth out of his mouth and chucking to another corner of the room. "Alright motha'fucka, I'm having a really fucking bad day, so you're gonna tell me what THE FUCK I need to know. And every time you give me an answer I DON'T LIKE, you're gonna slowly bleed out while your homeboy over there watches..." He said coldly, looking at the other man in the eye before pulling out his Pistol as he put the brass knuckles in his left hand. "Now where are the fucking guns that you took from Auntie Anna!?" J.T asked before pistol-whipping the man across the face. "Where are they!?"

Q simply held the other man's head and kept his eyes open so that he could watch his partner get beaten. "So...you gonna talk...or you gonna let your homie get whacked. I can do this all motha'fuckin' night." He said coldly. "This all could have been avoided if you guys weren't dumbasses. What the fuck were you two's thinking...Lying to the Morettis...STEALING FROM THEM!? You either crazy, or you got a death wish." Q shook his head.

As he felt the man try to look away, he took a soda can that just happened to be sitting nearby and smacked the gagged man across the face as hard as he possibly could, causing the soda can to blow open as its contents leaked onto the floor. "Bitch, don't be looking away. You messed with the wrong people. Now if you're gonna talk, then I'll let you talk. But until you make the right choice, your homeboy can get fucked up."

J.T proceeded to get angrier and just put away both his gun and his brass knuckles before bringing out his stiletto and a...jalapeño? Before cutting it in half. He then pressed the cut jalapeno onto one of the cuts on the man's neck, the juice seeping into the wound and causing a burning sensation. "NOW TALK, BITCH!"

Tatianna Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Council Housing Estate
~ Bethnal Green, London~
Erik Snowden

Erik watched Billy look at the blood on his fingers. A part of him wanted to say forget this whole thing and they'll come back later, but he knew that wasn't even a possibility. He didn't know how serious the injury to his forehead had been. It looked small enough to not warrant someone to look at it but Erik knew he would feel better if he got his head looked at. "That's a lot of trust you're placing in me." He stated, trying to lighten their conversation as he looked over to Trevor again. The man had been knocked out cold, which Erik had found both impressive and... Appealing? He had to clear his throat and focus on the task at hand before his mind had an opportunity to wander. "A problem? At least not for us." He stated shaking his head. They were simply there to pick the man up and drop him off; like a taxi service if you will. Billy's older brothers were going to take the rest from there which made Erik's life a lot easier.

He made his way to the opposite side of Trevor, helping Billy with the deadweight. As strong as he thought Billy looked he was sure he wouldn't be able to carry the man all by himself. "He's heavier than I thought he would be... And in desperate need of a shower." Erik's face turned up at the scent, matching his earlier disgust by the apartment. The man was a slob in more way than one it seemed and Erik wasn't happy with the fact he had to be around it. The moment they were able to throw the man in the backseat, he felt more at ease. "I'm going to have to take so many showers after this." He stated, opening the door to the passenger seat.

The two of them -- and Trevor -- made their way down the street with Billy expressing his amusement. "Stupid prick shouldn't have attacked us. Had he come quickly and quietly, he wouldn't be seeing birds and stars." Erik shrugged his shoulders before glancing back at the man. Knowing the man was more than likely on drugs and experiencing withdrawal made him think about his drug use. Would he end up like that if he didn't get his fix? 'Nah,' he thought, 'Because i'm not an addict.' The sound of Billy's voice made him turn his attention to him and off his own thoughts. He chuckled at the mention of the club being his second home, rubbing the spot he had poked. "I do not go to the nightclubs that often!" He laughed, knowing full well that he had gone enough. Erik listened as Billy began to explain they had nothing else to do after dropping off Trevor. Before he could finish his sentence Erik could hear Billy choking and when he realized what was happening, he sprang into action.

The car was swerving so he reached for the wheel while also fumbling about with the glove box. He had left his gun inside, not wanting to bring it inside with him just in case. "Fuck!" He shouted, trying to make sure they didn't crash but that Billy didn't get choked out either. The compartment finally popped open allowing him to dig around for his weapon. The moment the cold metal touched his right hand, he held it and aimed behind him at Trevor, pulling the trigger three times. "Press the brake!" He shouted, wanting to make sure they didn't crash into anyone or anything.


Billy ( Pyroclast )
​

 

[Bellz]

Braden Callahan
Savannah Callahan's House
~ Islington, London ~​

Braden was relieved that Kerry didn't take offense to his words and he looked to his sister for a moment as Kerry gestured to her before the woman clarified as long as it was okay with the both of them she would stay. Savannah said it was okay and Braden smiled widely as she led the brunette into the woman as he followed close behind. As she offered Kerry a seat on the couch, Savannah turned to him and gave him a glare. Braden's smile faded slightly as he looked at her with wide eyes before her face softened, smirking at him instead. It was Braden's turn to glare playfully for a moment before Savannah said that Callum was taking too long picking out toys. His sister offered the beautiful woman something to drink before heading upstairs just as Kerry answered.

Braden watched her go before turning to Kerry, a boyish smile playing on his lips. "Ahh, don't worry about it, I would love to get you a drink. Stiff gin, okay? or I'm sure Savvy has some wine." He murmured before going to fetch the woman whatever she wanted to drink before returning to the room with a few glasses and bottles. Once they both had a drink, Braden moved to sit on the armchair opposite Kerry as she asked how life was back in Dublin. She asked if her mother was okay and Braden nodded his head gently, "For being such a gentle soul, my mother is one of the strongest people I know. She's doing a lot better than I thought she would be...so I take that as a good sign." He murmured before taking a drink of his gin. "Life in Dublin is...surprisingly quiet compared to what we dealt with in New York. I think this is the longest our family has gone without a problem." Braden answered honestly.

Kerry then asked if he came to London often asking if life was busy in Dublin and Braden laughed. "I mean, it's not entirely too busy for most people but when you have a little one, it keeps one busy. I'd like to come here more often if I can bear to part from my baby girl." He murmured fondly before reaching for his wallet. Inside was a picture of Hattie that he loved very much and he showed it to anyone who cared to see it. "I dunno how much Savvy talks about me, but this is her. Her name is Hattie, she's 5 and to me, she's the most beautiful thing in my life." He said as he reached out to show the woman the picture of his daughter.

After a moment of her looking, Braden reached his hand out to take it back before moving on to her question of what they would order for takeaway. "You know I'm not entirely sure what's good around here so if you have any suggestions I'm open to hearing it. I trust you have good taste." He said adding a charming smile to the end of his sentence. "So what about you? How's London been treating you all these years?"
with: Savvy + Kerry Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Wycliff Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~

Valentina Wycliff​

Valentina laughed along as Teddy said her children were a headache. "Hey, they're all 50% you, so I'd say all of the annoying traits, they got from you," she teased him. She playfully wiggled her eyebrows as her husband said it was their right to make the kids go to bed. Flashing a mischievous smile, she nodded her head. "Once the show they're watching right now ends, we'll pack them off to bed," she confirmed.

Pulling back from Teddy, Valentina awkwardly hooked her thumbs into the side pockets of her trousers. "Well, I think what I did was the right thing to do and perfectly reasonable. But you and I both know my father and I don't often agree on many things, especially when business tends to come before kindness, for him." She looked her husband in the eyes and shrugged her shoulders. "So, we had this big-shot middle-aged man check in to the hotel yesterday. He had one of the best rooms and I'm confident everything was perfect when he checked in. My staff know what they're doing and I can tell who the hard workers are. But he complained about the room quality and treated my staff like shit when they tried to make things perfect for him. I let him have his way and upgraded him to a better room, for free. Then, when I got into work this morning, I was told by my staff that he'd continued being a jerk in the bar last night too. He'd made perverted comments to one of the waitresses and at one point been physically inappropriate to her." Valentina cleared her throat. "So, when I saw him returning to his room after breakfast, today, I told him to pack his bags and find another hotel to stay in. He wasn't happy. He started kicking off, blah blah blah..." she went on pausing to take a deep breath.

"Long story short... He and his colleagues are here in New York on business, having travelled from Miami. That business is with Papa, tomorrow," she revealed, letting out an apprehensive sigh. "Maybe I shouldn't have snapped at him and called him a dirty old pervert, but I don't regret telling the pig to leave and I'd do it again to anyone who behaves in a disgusting manner towards my staff. But I think we both know Papa will not see it the same way. No doubt he'll be pissed off and start giving some lecture. He'll probably start telling me I need a break, again." She reached out to take Teddy's hand. "What do you think I should do?" she nervously asked.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Nostalgic Notes: Shinoa Bradford~​

Pregnancy Tracker​

Progression: 34.5/40 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 242/280 Days

Weight Gain: 65/68 Kg

Upon being greeted by Sinead, the already worried Shinoa got a little more nervous now that she could put a face on the voice, as she had spoken with on the phone. From the tone in Sinead's voice, Shinoa couldn't help but think that the older woman was agitated, annoyed. But why? Was it because she is pregnant? Or in Shinoa's case...very pregnant. Due to nervousness settling in, the young mother felt a few kicks against her hand. Her feelings must be making the baby uncomfortable. After a moment or two, Sinead would proceed to lead Shinoa into her Office closer towards the back. Straightening out her Cardigan and her Dress, Shinoa proceeded to waddle behind her. Taking a deep breath, she proceeded to sit down across from Sinead on the other side of her desk. It certainly didn't feel like a job interview.

When she commented that Shinoa looked exhausted, Sinead wasn't very far off. Hell, she probably wasn't even wrong. Although she probably should not have, Shinoa did walk thirty minutes from her Hotel to the Music Store. While it was good exercise, it was not exactly ideal for the amount of pain she regularly felt in her back and her feet. After this interview, which would hopefully go well, Shinoa was certain that she'd be taking a nap as soon as she got back to her hotel. Shoving these thoughts aside, Shinoa soon gave Sinead her full, undivided attention. Unconsciously, she began cradling her belly in hopes of soothing her unborn child who had began fidgeting and kicking since she arrived. Starting off, the older woman explained that she had an open full-time position that was permanent as well as the reason behind it. While this gave Shinoa a glimmer of hope, the young woman still continued to keep her guard up as she felt more uneasy. The conversation soon went to another turn as Sinead seemed to express concern for Shinoa's well-being, saying that she should be resting and getting ready for the 'big day', which Shinoa could naturally assume that she was referring to the due date, which was roughly six and a half weeks away and the Maternity Leave that would follow as she would need time to rest post-childbirth and to be with her newborn.

The next question, made Shinoa's heart sink. Gently she began rubbing the belly in hopes of soothing the unborn baby as she became more anxious herself. She didn't have any support at all during the pregnancy. Her Mother was unsupportive from day one and her Father doesn't even know. "No, I don't have any support at all and I'm not even from around here. I've only been in Ireland for about six months and I've been staying at the hotel a couple blocks from here." She admitted as she remembered the extreme lack of support from her Mother.

At that given moment, Shinoa wanted to cry, but did her best to keep it together. At this point, she wouldn't be surprised if Sinead were to turn her away or even get angry at her. Either way, Shinoa wasn't about to share a sob story to get employed. Granted if she were to be turned away now, the young mother didn't exactly have a Plan B...

Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti's Mansion
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~

Gabriel Moretti and Riccardo Biancardi​

Gabriel laughed when Elvian seemingly called him out on his ploy to have her distract Ricky so he could get through to the man, whilst she also worked her magic on Julia. "In a nutshell, that's exactly what I'm doing," Gabriel joked, following it with a light chuckle. "I mean, I could try putting on the charm if you're not up to it, but I fear it wouldn't work out as intended and Julia might just fall in love with me," he sarcastically remarked. "I think we'll all be much happier experiencing the charm when it's coming from you," he flirted. Either Gabriel was in a good mood or he was already getting into the role of playing nice. Obviously he'd say it was the latter if asked, but really he was most able to relax and be playful when alone with his wife. Hearing the doorbell, Gabriel looked up but Elvian offered to get the door whilst he tended to the pot that needed turning off. "Of course. I'll try not ruin dinner in the next thirty seconds," he remarked.

Ricky subtly, or so he thought, moved his hand away from Julia's back when Elvian opened the front door. "Elvian! It's been too long, Ma'am." Ricky energetically greeted the woman, accepting her hug and kiss before kissing her cheek in return. He stood back as the woman greeted Julia, the smile remaining on his face as he watched the two. "Well, tonight is my lucky night. Having dinner with two stunning ladies," he said, holding a hand out to each of them. "Might I suggest you send Gabriel off to bed early? I think the three of us will get on just fine," he joked.

Following Elvian inside, Ricky looked to Julia with a reassuring, albeit apprehensive, smile before entering the large kitchen and dining area. Instantly switching the confidence back on, he looked over to Gabriel who was tending to the food by the stove. "Would you look at that? You've got your husband well trained, Elvian," Ricky remarked. When Gabriel stepped away from the stove and Elvian took his place tending to the cooking again, Ricky met the man halfway and gave him a firm handshake. "Thank you for your hospitality, Gabriel. I'm always here for free food, especially when it smells this good."

Despite not finding Ricky's jokes amusing, Gabriel let out a short chuckle and allowed a smirk to linger on his features as he returned the man's handshake with a firm one of his own. "I'm sorry for your your loss, Riccardo, and I would have attended the funeral were it at all a wise thing to do," he told him. He made a mental note of the subtle shrug of the shoulders and evident indifference Ricky tried to portray regarding Giovanni. As expected, the younger man was not happy with Giovanni's will, and rightly so, in Gabriel's opinion. After giving Julia a welcoming embrace, he offered Ricky and Julia seats next to each other at the large dinning table before sitting in his own directly opposite Julia, leaving Elvian's place directly opposite Ricky, figuring the man would prefer Elvian sitting opposite him rather than having Gabriel glaring directly at him throughout the meal.

Gabriel was sure he had an idea of how Ricky felt already, so wasn't inclined to pose the question to him yet. Still curious as to why Damian had suggested inviting Julia to dinner and what her motivations were, he decided to direct a question to her first, before Ricky's answer could influence hers. "So, Julia. Damian told me you accompanied Riccardo to the funeral and to the will reading." After looking towards Elvian to make sure she was managing with dinner, he looked back to Julia. "What do you think about Giovanni leaving Roxanne in charge of the Biancardi business?" he directly asked her.

Bellz (Julia) Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Jeanie-Carriveau Porter
JJ Carriveau-Porter

Paulie's Pizzeria
~ Downtown Dublin, Dublin ~​

Roxie was all smiles as Matthew was so willing to help the kids, JJ seemed happy with the help but the twins didn't seem all too pleased. Roxie assumed it was because the girls planned on hanging out with their friends rather than actually studying. "It's English." Jeanie said lightly, her face pulled into a frown as she looked to her sister. "We just need to go over the events of a book we are reading because we are going to be tested on it." Jeanie then took a bite of her pizza, turning to her sister with wide eyes as she nonverbally asked her how ridiculous this all was.

Things had calmed down after she told JJ not to throw food in the restaurant as it seemed Jeanie was too occupied whispering something to her sister. JJ laughed as Matthew said to not get them thrown out of the restaurant, "Don't worry, we got Mom here to expertly talk us out of trouble, seeing how that's her job for other people, I'm sure she could let us get away with pizza murder if we wanted to." Roxie smirked the boy with an amused expression, "Don't be too sure about that, kid." She said to her son before she felt Matthew's arm rest behind her chair, she turned to look at him and noticed the fond smile on his face. Roxie's cheeks warmed as she watched him closely, a sheepish smile appearing on her face. "What? Please tell me I don't have sauce on my face..." She said with a small laugh. The kids had gotten caught up in talking so Roxie was just able to get lost in her fiancé's stare for a moment.

"How was everything at the church? Were you able to talk to him about Liam having detention like you wanted to?" She asked before looking to JJ and the girls for a moment. "I'm surprised these rascals haven't gotten it yet...considering they have my blood in them. I use to go to detention so often.." She reminisced for a moment before looking back to Matthew.

"Is Father Creepy ready for our big day?" She asked in a teasing tone before smiling widely, "I should really stop calling him that if I want to be in his good graces, huh? Though I'm sure he has some nice opinions about me...just like most people do in this city." At a young age, Roxie didn't really give a shit about what people said about her back in New York...religion wasn't a big thing to most people in the States. As beautiful as Ireland was, the people had a stick up their asses about women, especially women who had children out of wedlock or women who left their partner. Roxie just happened to be a trifecta of a woman who did both and at the same time actively didn't believe in any kind of organized religion. And if added to it, she was connected to the notorious mob. She left a sour taste in people's mouths, that much was true. She didn't miss the way people looked at her when she picked her kids up from school...it was hard to ignore.

Matthew despite his faith looked past all of those flaws and saw Roxie for who she really was and that's why she loved him. That and he didn't have a habit of lying to her face while spying on her family's business. That was a bonus though. "I hope..." She started, just as she reached for her glass of wine. "I hope that my new position doesn't ruin what we have going, love." She murmured softly, making sure the kids couldn't hear as they continued to chatter. "I hope it doesn't change anything. My number one priority is making sure you and the kids are safe...and I don't know what I'd do if I failed at doing that. I love you and them too much...I know it seems like I'm doing the opposite accepting this position...are you feeling okay about it?"
with: Matthew Misty Gray ; Jane Pyroclast
creeping somewhere: Reina Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

The Funky Cat
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Benjamin Reznik​

Benjamin flashed a boyish smile as he noted how endearing Lorelei looked as she bashfully tucked her hair behind her ear. He had to consciously remind himself to be professional, knowing he had a habit of being flirtatious. He sat up straight as he listened to her speak about her family. "Oh wow. Yeah, I know about James Porter. He used to be Aidan's, my guardian's, boss, before Conor took over." He wanted to say something regarding her comment that her father had left, but he wasn't sure if that was too personal and potentially upsetting for her. Instead, he chose to focus on the more positive things the redhead told him. "Broadway, yeah? I shouldn't be asking for an autograph, should I?" he joked.

There was a slight sadness behind Benjamin's smile as Lorelei said Dublin felt more like home because her family was there. He had grown very fond of Dublin himself; the more peaceful vibe, the people, and the natural beauty. But it didn't feel completely like home, not whilst his father was still in New York. He lightly nodded when asked about Kurt. "I speak to him on the phone as often as I can. I'd call every day, if I could, but they're pretty strict on the privileges over in jail... I'm hoping to visit him again soon, but the flights can get pretty expensive."

Benjamin mirrored Lorelei and had a quick drink as there was a brief pause in the conversation. When she brought the topic back to business, he set his glass down on the table and let out a small laugh. "I like to think I know my way around a camera. I've been passionate about it since I was a little kid," he assured her. "I can definitely take some photographs for your advertising. I've got some great aesthetics to work with," he said, taking a moment to look around the club. He stood up and stepped away from the table to take a look towards the stage. "At the right angle, I can already see a great shot of centre stage that would capture the piano and those stunning lights, as well as the nearby tables," he enthusiastically told her. He then turned and pointed to the bar. "And we can get some great shots over there too."

Benjamin focused back to Lorelei when she told him to name a price. As much as he needed the money, he wasn't about to take advantage of her friendliness by ripping her off. "Well, I have some set prices for this kind of job, it goes off how many images you want and how long the job takes. I'm happy to book in to do the shoot on an evening when the club is open, to get the atmosphere right for the pictures." He moved to his bag that was hanging on the back of the chair. After digging into it for a moment he pulled out a book-like photo album and placed it on the table, so he could flip it open. "I brought some example work for you, so you can be sure you like my style. The first half has ones I've taken outdoors, so lots of nature and animals," he explained. "The ones further on are more architecture; buildings and interior shots. I also took the pictures for the menus at the Oak Tree Restaurant, for Mr. Sullivan. So, if you've eaten there recently, you might have seen my little project there too."

Bellz (Lorelei)

 

[BloodLightning27]

Chapter 2: Making Connections
Tuesday 19th March 1985
...4 days later...
London: Late Afternoon - Cool, Cloudy, Breezy​

~Tea Shop: Shirley Kwon~​

Pregnancy Tracker​

Pregnancy Progression: 30/42 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 214/294 Days

Weight Gain: 63/71 Kg

Following her first official meeting with Shona, who she had met at the Maternity Ward at the London Royal Hospital, the next four days had passed for her uneventfully outside of Grocery Shopping and restocking on Medical Supplies. Sure, she was invited to go to the pub after her appointment, but she wasn't entirely feeling up for it, not to mention she was uncomfortable with being around alcohol, especially since the smell made her nauseas. Well, maybe the first few days were uneventful, but the previous evening, not so much. When she was making dinner, a few men, presumingly gang members, had come to her for treatment as they had sustained gunshot wounds and knife wounds and a couple of bruises, all of which were treatable and didn't exactly require surgery, given where the bullets went. Although she had allowed the one with the more severe wounds to stay for a few hours, she had them leave after the lesser wounded ones were well enough. Since she wasn't going to be in Med School anytime soon, let alone be able to find a more legal source of income anytime soon, providing services to the criminal underworld of London was gonna have to do until her children were old enough to start school.

As these thoughts traversed through her mind, Shirley proceeded to put on her dress and her cardigan. For this afternoon, she had planned to go to the Teashop that wasn't all that far from her house. Maybe a ten to fifteen minute walk at most. Grabbing her barrette and her purse, Shirley proceeded to put on her slippers before exiting her lovely home, her purse in hand. Along the way to the Tea Shop, she started thinking about what kind of mother she would be to her Twins, or if she would want them to meet their Aunt in Ireland, or their Grandparents in South Korea, wherever they may be in that part of Asia. Her train of thought came to its end when she arrived at the front door of the teashop.

Upon opening the door, she heard the sound of the bell and the familiar cashier was there to greet her. Shirley had become a little familiar with the staff at the Teashop as she was a frequent customer, known for being both courteous and kind, even if she often kept to herself whenever she was enjoying her tea. For her afternoon, Shirley opted for Peppermint Tea as it helped with the frequent nausea and morning sickness. Whether it was a normal part of pregnancy in general or the simple fact she was having twins, she wasn't so sure. Sitting down at her usual spot in the corner, she took a deep breath and set her purse on the table before settling in. Her next thought was what to eat and enjoy with the Peppermint Tea. Her stomach growled, which prompted her cheeks to turn red as it left her a little embarrassed because she was rather self-conscious about the size of the belly as well as the weight gain. Thankfully, no one else was really around and whoever had greeted her up front was now in the back likely making the tea for her.

Shona (Mentioned) Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Elena Velazco​

“Three whiskey dry...old fashion, more alcohol,” she repeated to herself. It might have helped to write the orders down, but she wouldn’t know where to begin with the spelling, so for now she would have to rely on her memory. “I will bring to you in one moment!” With a dutiful nod of the head, she left the women to their conversation, not noticing the men who were approaching their table.

Back behind the bar, Elena set out to fulfil the order, repeating it to herself as she went. Martin was busy serving a group of young men so she couldn’t resort to asking him for help. She assumed that dry meant neat and went about pouring three full glasses before moving onto the more complicated cocktail, which thankfully she had made once before. When she turned to set the glass down on the bar top, she found that there were two men now seated opposite her. One of them spoke to her, to which she instantly smiled. After allowing herself a couple of seconds to register his question, she answered, “Oh, no, I work here three weeks! So, three shifts. I love it!" So far none of the customers Elena had served since getting the job had introduced themselves by name so Adam and Thomas came across as particularly welcoming to her. The name Adam sent alarm bells ringing through her mind but she tried to ignore them on the chance that it was simply a coincidence. "My name is Elena," she told them in return, idly stirring the half-made cocktail in front of her as her focus was now entirely switched to the two men. They told her that they both worked for Mr. Sullivan and would be on security duty for the evening, which Martin verbally vouched for. But Elena was too busy putting the pieces together to give a verbal acknowledgement. Was this the man she had been waiting for? A man by the name of Adam who worked for Mr. Sullivan, now sitting in this very pub she had been told he frequented...She had given up everything and taken every risk in the hopes of finding her father, but now that it was possible she was face to face with him, she felt so nervous that she found herself hoping it wasn’t real. Reminding herself to appear composed, Elena picked up the whiskey tumbler to bring it over to the bucket of ice behind her so she could continue making the cocktail. Just as she was moving, however, Adam asked her if she was Cuban, and spoke some Spanish to her.

Suddenly the tumbler slipped out of her grasp and smashed into a few heavy shards at her feet. Elena gave a sharp gasp and her hands flew to her mouth. “¡Perdón, perdón!” she cried as she stooped to gather the thick pieces of crystal. Her hands were shaking, and when she set the broken pieces on the counter behind her she had to lean against it, too overwhelmed to move. So far, she knew his name, who he worked for, that he had a natural-sounding Spanish accent and the fact that he knew Cuba well enough to recognise hers. He ticked too many boxes for it to be a coincidence. It had to be him. Her eyes flicked between Adam’s and Thomas’ and she sent them a weak smile, her cheeks tingling with shock and embarrassment.

“Everything alright?” Martin interrupted, sending her a glance as he poured out a pint for a customer. Elena nodded, putting on her most convincing smile. “Oh, yes,” she insisted, neatly tucking her hair behind her ears to try to straighten herself up. Her trembling hands gave herself away, however, and when an attempted deep breath turned strained, he added, “Really? Because you look like you’re about to faint.” Already, Elena’s attention had returned to the two men seated in front of her and so she barely heard Martin’s voice.

“Conoce...conoce bien Cuba?” she asked Adam through uneven breaths, gripping the bartop with both hands to hold herself steady. She wasn’t sure whether she was about to burst into tears, vomit or pass out, but whatever it was, she had to do her very best to hold it back; if this man was her father, she didn’t want to make a bad impression on him, especially not after all the sacrifices she had made to get to this point.

“Elena, why don’t you go and take a break?” came Martin’s voice. “Sit yourself down for a minute, love.”

Elena continued to ignore Martin, too wrapped up in the situation to acknowledge other voices. “I’m sorry,” she added breathlessly, turning to face Thomas with a timid smile. “I speak English for you. Or, you speak español too?”

Interactions
Bellz Thomas, Blake
Misty Gray Adam
Melanin-Gxdess Aliana

 

[Bellz]

Thomas Porter
Blake McCarthy

The Sullivans Pub
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~​

Thomas's cheeks were already rosy from the young woman passing him, he tried to make sure he didn't stare too long at her but he was sure that he came off as creepy already. When Ali complimented him, Thomas looked to his Aunt with a genuine smile, "Ah jeez, Auntie Al, you're making me blush." He said lightly as Adam said that they were sent after the best of men couldn't make it. Adam and Blake started speaking to each other which left Thomas to speak to Ali. He shifted from foot to foot a bit nervously, knowing he didn't leave the best impression on her the other night after threatening Leo. She broke the ice as she asked if he was having fun yet, Thomas found himself forcing a smile this time, "Ah I wouldn't say fun but it's definitely a lot calmer than what I'm used to doing for jobs..." He told her honestly.

Blake smirked lightly as Adam said he was all work and no play and she couldn't argue with that fact. She was going to invite him to sit down and have a drink despite knowing this but he beat her to it by saying that he needed to do a couple of checks before he would join her. "Don't let me stop you from doing your job, hun. I'll see you soon." She smiled sweetly at him before watching him go off while she turned back to Thomas and Ali. She had heard him say things were calmer to what he was used to and Blake nodded her head, "Learn to enjoy these quiet moments, kid. You never know when shit will hit the ceiling fan. But I'm sure you know that better than most." She told Thomas to which the young man respectful and quietly nodded his head. After a brief moment of silence, Thomas looked to see where Adam went before turning to Ali for a moment. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what transpired the other night, Auntie Al...I didn't mean to threaten him..I'm trying to get a whole of my PTSD but sometimes it gets the best of me. I plan on talking with Leo soon." With that, Thomas knew he needed to continue to shadow Adam and moved to follow him, leaving the ladies alone once more.

Blake watched Thomas leave before looking at Ali with a raised brow to see what she thought of that. "Well that was pretty mature of him, huh?" She asked lightly, her eyes seeing Adam and Thomas now at the bar. "He's a good kid...I hope he does well with this job, I get the sense that he feels out of place with all of us."

Thomas watched as Adam caught the pretty woman's attention who'd taken his Aunt's order, questioning if this was her first shift. The older man introduced himself before turning to Thomas who froze slightly, his mouth slightly hanging open as he struggled to get his name out. After a moment, Thomas cleared his throat, "Thomas." He said to the woman. The woman said her name was Elena and for some reason, knowing her name made Thomas's cheeks redder. Adam noticed her accent and Thomas had recognized it as well, at least that it was some sort of Spanish anyway. He asked the woman if she spoke the language in Spanish and Thomas watched as the woman clumsily dropped a whiskey tumbler. Watching the woman scramble, Thomas could only stare wide-eyed at the scene as he could see that it looked like the poor woman was about to faint. She asked Adam a question but Martin seemed to notice how frantic she looked because told her to take a break.

Elena ignored the man, instead turning her full attention to him with a timid smile, asking if he also spoke Spanish. "Yo hablo algo de español." Thomas said with a small smile, raising a hand to make a so/so hand gesture. He was sure Adam was looking at him surprised now, so Thomas looked to the man with a smirked. "What? I'm cultured." He said teasingly. He normally wasn't very playful but the beautiful woman in front of him was making him want to make her feel comfortable.
Thomas with: Adam Misty Gray + Elena Pyroclast
Blake with: Ali Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Julia Avvocata

Gabriel Moretti's Mansion
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~​

Julia stole one more glance at Ricky, noting his hand was still on her back before the door opened. A beautiful woman opened the door and greeted Ricky fondly, Julia smiled sweetly and noticed Ricky's hand move from her back quickly. The woman soon turned to her and Julia smiled even wider, nodding her head to confirm who she was. Hearing that Gabriel had told her she was coming, Julia chalked up that the woman before her must be Elvian. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Moretti, and I have quite the sweet tooth, so I'm looking forward to that dessert." Ricky's compliment to them both made Julia's cheek warm before he playfully suggested that Gabriel head to bed early and let the three of them be. Julia swatted his arm lightly, "I don't think the man of the house would be so happy with that." Julia said lightly before Elvian led them into the house.

Julia noted the apprehensive smile on Ricky's face as he looked at her and Julia returned his smile, making sure she gave him a confident look to reassure him everything would be okay. Julia took in the beautiful house as they made it to the kitchen and dining area. Seeing Gabriel at the stove was surprising, Ricky commented on Elvian having her husband well trained and Julia couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her. The two men shook hands as Gabriel apologized for Ricky's loss to which Ricky gave a subtle shrug. Julia understood well Ricky's current feelings on the Giovanni situation. Gabriel then moved to give Julia an embrace which she returned lightly before they moved to the table. "I brought this, as a thank you for inviting us to dinner." Julia murmured as she handed Gabriel the bottle of wine before she sat down. Julia noted the way the Moretti's sat down, Gabriel in front of her while his wife sat in front of Ricky. A smart tactic for a tense conversation that she was sure would come.

Gabriel may have been intimidating to Ricky but Julia was sure she could handle him, her father was a similar man of stature and beliefs so she was confident that she wouldn't break if for whatever reason Ricky did. She wasn't surprised in the slightest as Gabriel asked her first about what she thought of the current situation the Biancardi's were in. Since Damian seemed to believe she would be of some value to their cause, she was sure Gabriel wanted to put her to the test. "Well, while I am never the one to complain about a woman being in charge..." Julia started, her eyes looking to Ricky before moving to look back at Gabriel directly. "I have been friends with Ricky for many years, since before we could walk...and I've seen the intensive training he's gone through. While I respect Giovanni very much, I don't think this was the right call by any means." Julia watched Gabriel closely trying to gauge his response as she went on. "I believe that Roxanne should make the best decision for her and her children, which is to step down from the position. I think we all can speak to how this type of lifestyle can be less than beneficial to a kid."
with: Ricky + Gabe Misty Gray ; Elvian Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Sullivan's Pub
~Dublin City Center, Dublin~
Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

The smile she saw on her nephews face surprised her. It seemed genuine and had been the first one she remembered seeing in a long time. "You sure that's me making you blush and not someone else?" She asked glancing over to Elena before giving him a knowing look. Ali picked up the way she caught the man off-guard, deciding to be that aunt and tease him about it. Hearing him talk about how his current job was easier than past ones, she couldn't help but feel bad. There was no way she could imagine the hell he went through nor would she want to. She was just glad he was home and attempting to be better.

She turned her attention briefly to Adam as she let out a soft chuckle at Adam's joke, shaking her head. She did have to admit that whenever he was around, she felt more at ease. There was no current reason she could think of for her to feel threatened, of course, but the fact remained. He excused himself to finish checking things out, leaving herself, Thomas, and Blake to converse. She listened as Blake warned him to enjoy the silence, causing her to nod in agreement. She had been in enough shootouts and bombings to understand the importance of enjoying peace. "Honestly! One second you're enjoying a play and the next getting shot at!" She stated, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

An awkward silence settled over the group, Ali having a suspicion as to why but not saying anything. It was hard biting her tongue and staying out of it, but she hated seeing the boys fighting. She opened her mouth to say something when Thomas beat her to the punch. He apologized for the part he played in the fight between himself and Leo. He had even gone so far as to explain that he was trying to get a handle on his PTSD and that he and Leo were going to talk. Whether or not he and Leo had already planned this themselves, she didn't know, but she was happy they were taking responsibility and getting things back on track. She wasn't able to respond to him immediately as he had walked away to do his job so she turned to Blake instead. There was a look of understanding and satisfaction on her face as she nodded her head. "That was! Kid has grown up quite nicely." She said, following Blake's gaze. "He's been through a lot; worse than what we've experienced, I think. None of us can relate to him, so maybe that's why?"


Thomas, Blake ( Bellz )
Adam ( Misty Gray )
Elena ( Pyroclast )
​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Moretti Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~
Elvian Moretti

Elvian loved seeing her husband relaxed, smiling, and joking with her. It wasn't often she was able to see this side of him so she made sure to enjoy it as much as she was able to. "I knew you were up to something sneaky." She teased, making sure the flowers were up to her standards in the middle of the table. Not too high to hide behind but big enough to grab someone's attention. At the mention of his charm accidentally making Julia fall in love with him she playfully hit his arm. "Oh please. She wouldn't be able to keep up with you nor you her. You're better off with me." She smiled before kissing his cheek. "Plus, she'd die if she came between us. Either by me or one of your daughters. I'm betting Tati." She joked.

"Agreed! I get my husband can be a scary man, but I shouldn't have to pay for it." She stated, turning her attention back to Julia. "Please, call me Elvian. You don't have to be formal with me." She reassured her, a smile on her face. Though this was how she normally was when she met new people, Elvian knew she would have to make sure to keep the charm on the entire night. Since Ricky knew how she was she had to make sure not to over-due it. "As much fun as that would be, you know he would never let me hear the end of it."

Once back in the kitchen Elvian rubbed her husband's back as a thank you before taking over. With the pasta now drained, she was able to mix it with the sauce and begin plating. She could hear Julia mention a bottle of wine in passing as she set the plates of pasta on the table. "Oh, this would be a much better pairing than what I had planned." She stated, taking the bottle from her husband to examine. After thanking Julia for bringing she went back into the kitchen to open before pouring everyone a glass and handing them off. She made sure to take out the dessert and let it cool before taking her 'assigned' seat that her husband had planned. He hadn't wasted any time in getting the conversation started, missing his question but understanding what had been asked based on the tail end of Julia's answer. The woman was speaking from her honest opinion, which was something Elvian could admire.


Gabriel, Ricky ( Misty Gray )
Julia ( Bellz )
​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Wycliff Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~
Theodore Wycliff

"You know what?" He stated, looking back at the kids before down at his wife. "I'll take that. Because that means the other 50% is the headache, which is basically all you." He teased, kissing her forehead. Hearing that she was in on sending the kids to bed once they had finished their show made him smile. Any time he could spend with his wife was a good one, meaning he would take any opportunity to do so.

Seeing that their conversation was about to take a turn he inwardly sighed and prepared himself. It wasn't often that Valentina looked so guilty about something, but knowing she was nervous to speak about it meant it was serious. He wasn't happy that she seemed to be nervous about how his father in law would take the news considering it usually meant he was going to be in the middle again. Teddy didn't want to have to go through that again but it seemed inevitable with those two. He listened intently as she spoke and took in everything she was saying. As she told her side of things, it didn't seem that bad and he didn't get what she was so worried about. Really it sounded to him that she just had a rough day with an asshole who deserved every bit of what she had told him.

It wasn't until she took another deep breath and explained she knew of the man and his business being in New York. As soon as she mentioned the meeting with Gabriel he raised his hand to cover his mouth. He raised his eyebrows as he thought of something to say, though he knew this man was going to make a big deal out of it tomorrow. After taking a moment to let it all sink in and for him to gather his thoughts, he shook his head. "Oh, Tin. For starters, you didn't do anything wrong. If he was being a dick, you as the boss have every right to set him straight and put him out. Just because he's some hotshot that doesn't mean he's allowed to be disgusting." He stated, pulling her back in for an embrace. While he knew it may cause issues he still wanted her to know she did the right thing concerning her employees and her establishment. "Now, Gabe is going to be annoyed, for sure. No doubt he's going to complain about you to him and that is not what the nature of that meeting is going to be tomorrow. In my humble opinion I think you should tell him. Just so he's not blindsided and he hears your side first."

He started softly stroking her hair while he prepared himself for what he wanted to say next. Teddy wasn't even going to mention a break until she did. Granted, he hadn't been able to get Gabe's voice out of his head telling him so, but he was going to keep it to himself. See how stressed out she had become after talking to her for a few minutes was enough for him. "Speaking of a break," he said softly as not to piss her off or have an argument. "How about a family vacation? The kids haven't been outside of New York and Spring Break is coming up. What if the five of us went somewhere devoid of any electronics and just enjoy each other? Let the people you employed do all the work for just two weeks."

Valentina ( Misty Gray )​

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivans Pub
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

When the young woman told him her name, Adam made a point of committing it to his memory. In his work, it was important to keep up-to-date on those working for the business, even if their role was a legitimate one and the person in question appeared as innocent as Elena did. "Well, I hope you're enjoying the new job, Elena," he told her. Watching her as she tended to the drink she was making, he couldn't help but sense she was nervous. Of course, it was only her third shift in Conor's lively pub, but he couldn't help but think she would need to find her confidence soon. Knowing what some of the more rowdy customers were like, he wasn't sure she'd last another three shifts - especially not when she has to work a busy Saturday night!

Adam was about to turn and look at Thomas, to see if he'd composed himself around the young barmaid yet. Instead, Elena dropped the glass tumbler on the floor, causing Adam's attention to remain on her. Before he had chance to react, he heard a couple of the older male customers let out a customary cheer in response to the glass being smashed. Though they meant it in good spirit, Adam turned to look at the men seated nearby and used one hand to gesture for them to quieten down. "Pipe down, Dave. We all know you can't ever handle your beer, full-stop," he called back to the man. Joke or not, Adam's remark did result in the two men going back to minding their own business. Turning back to Elena, he could see how upset she was after dropping the glass. Given how nervous she was and likely not wanting to make mistakes in her new job, he wasn't exactly surprised about her reaction. "No necesitas disculparte. Los accidentes ocurren," attempted to reassure her and gave a nonchalant shrug to show it wasn't a big deal. As she was crouched down picking up the glass, Adam turned to Thomas and raise an eyebrow in response to the slight commotion.

Adam watched on as Martin intervened and Elena insisted everything was okay. He had been tempted to take the glass from her to throw it away, but he figured it would only embarrass her further than if she took control of clearing up the situation herself. When she did address him again, albeit still in something of a shocked state, he sent her a reassuring smile. "Conozco muy bien a Cuba. Llevo años yendo allí por negocios. Y mi mejor amigo es de Cuba."

Adam listened as Elena and Thomas spoke, letting out a surprised chuckle as the young man unexpectedly spoke Spanish too. "You? Cultured? You kept that one quiet," he teased back. Deciding to give the nervous new barmaid a little breathing room, Adam retrieved his wallet and handed Thomas enough cash to buy a round of drinks. "Pint of beer, for me, once the lady is ready to take our order. No rush," he commented, making it clear it was fine for him to talk to Elena for a bit. Perhaps talking to someone closer her age would calm her nerves a little. "Elena. There's always plenty more glasses," he reassured her, hoping she wouldn't dwell on a bit of smashed glass.

As promised, Adam made his way back to Blake and Aliana, sitting himself down in the empty chair opposite the two ladies. Not only did it mean he could see them both, but his position also gave him a direct view of the entrance so he could see people coming and going. "Don't be telling your husband I'm trying to scare his new staff. I was actually being on my best behaviour," Adam jokingly told Aliana. He then looked to Blake, his focus lingering on the attractive woman a little longer than it should have, before he caught himself in the act, prompting him to sit back and share his focus with both women again. "So what have you ladies been up to lately? I hear there was a little trouble at the party," he briefly commented, given Thomas being nearby, "but you both had a good time other than the commotion, I hope?" he asked, flashing them a smile.

Pyroclast (Elena)
Bellz (Thomas, Blake)
Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[BloodLightning27]

Chapter 2: Making Connections
Tuesday 19th March 1985
...4 days later...
Dublin: Late Afternoon - Cool, Sunny, Breezy​

~Stella Kwon~​

Within her Apartment, Stella sat on the living room couch, thinking about the party that she had attended four days prior. From the fight that broke out, to spending quality time with Lucy. Sadly it did remind her of what she took for granted and that its been well over five years since she has spoken to her parents, or her Sister, all of whom she missed rather dearly. As she thought about Shirley, Stella began thinking about the argument that they had the night that she left the house...and never came back. During that argument, Shirley said that she was pregnant and that left Stella at a loss for words. Given how much time has passed, Stella suspected that it would not be long until her Sister would be giving birth. The thought of not being there for Shirley left Stella feeling guilty. While she was not proud of every decision that has been made over the last five years, Stella justified that they were all in favor of getting them both a better life.

Sadly, there wasn't much of a justification in that anymore as their relationship was destroyed and her Sister left Ireland. Even though she spent the last hour dwelling on what could have been, Stella had to get ready for another day at work. This evening, chances were she was going to be hunting someone on behalf of her Boss, Conor Sullivan. Staring at the guns on her table, she proceeded to grab one of her Revolvers and began loading it before lining up her speedloaders as well her gun belt. Grabbing the second revolver, she proceeded to load it up rather quickly before moving onto her two Rifles and her Shotgun, then loading up her Bandolier. On the off-chance she was not hunting someone, she could also spend some time at her Boss' gun range, keeping her skills sharp.

Once she packed her firearms and some ammunition, Stella grabbed a couple of throwing knives and some extra ammo boxes and packed it into her bag. Going into her Garage, she put everything into the trunk of her Mustang. The last thing she did was grab her Bowie Knife before closing the trunk and getting into the Driver's seat. Opening the garage door, Stella started the car and soon left her Apartment.

After about a thirty minute drive, she had made it to the Private Shooting Range that Conor owned. "Hope you don't mind, Boss." She said before grabbing her bags and locking up her car.

Going inside, she set everything out on a nearby table and set up a target before sending it away. Putting on some ear protection, she proceeded to ready her Bolt-Action Rifle, turning the safety off and adjusting her scope, which she hadn't done in a few months due to mostly leaving it at home in favor of her Winchester, which she thought was more reliable and quicker to fire, as very rarely she had to keep her distance from her enemies when out hunting for her boss. Or if he wanted them alive, she had her lasso. Once her scope was optimized, she firmly gripped the rifle, aimed at the bullseye and pulled the trigger...

Conor Sullivan (Mentioned) Misty Gray | Shirley Kwon (Mentioned) | Lucy Porter (Mentioned) Bellz

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

Billy had been in his fair share of fights in the past, but he had never been caught off guard like this before, and had certainly never been strangled. He was entering survival mode, his driving hindered as he scrabbled to free himself and he could only watch helplessly as the road ahead swerved left to right. Thankfully Erik grabbed the wheel for him, allowing him to reach up and tug against the string tightening around his neck whilst slamming his foot on the brake peddle.

In one split second, the entire atmosphere changed. Three explosions ripped past Billy’s ear; the shoelace fell away, the car came to a halt and the two of them were flung into silence. Once the worst of the ringing in his ears had died down, Billy could hear his own heavy breathing and his heart pounding in his chest. Slowly, he turned in his seat until he was staring at the bloody mess that Trevor had become. One in the neck and two in the chest. Blood was splattered all over the roof of the car, the tinted windows, the seats. “Fuckin’ hell,” Billy uttered. For a moment he was so shocked that he forgot they were still in public, fully exposed by the daylight. When he thought he had had enough of the gruesome sight, he turned to briefly take in their surroundings, but his eyes naturally drew back to the corpse in the backseat. Finding no words to say, Billy just continued to stare at the mess until his racing heart compelled him to kick the car back into gear. The tyres screeched as they launched out of the jaunty angle they had parked in and zoomed ahead in a less than controlled manner.

Luckily they weren’t far from Billy’s house, and as soon as they arrived he didn’t hesitate to drive it all the way into the garage, closing the door behind them. Even once the engine was cut and they were enclosed in the dimly lit garage space, Billy’s white knuckles still gripped the steering wheel. As he stared ahead, all he could see in his mind was Trevor. “Erik…” His voice came out low and weak, still breathing through the shock. “Go and put the kettle on, would you?”

What Billy thought he needed was some time to sit down, but only about thirty seconds after Erik had left him in the car alone, he became too uncomfortable sitting with the corpse of the man that had tried to strangle him to death. After double checking that the garage door was fully locked, Billy eventually entered the house and went through to the kitchen where Erik was. He looked at his friend but didn’t know what to say to him. While the kettle boiled, Billy unhooked the receiver from the wall and dialled his brother’s phone number as he leaned unsteadily against the fridge. “Hey, Spence, that you?” he asked. “I know, we were meant to come to you, but there’s...been a bit of an accident. Don't worry, me and Erik are fine…” He glanced up at Erik as he said this, unsure how the man was feeling about everything. “Look, how fast can you get to my place? We really need your help. Please, as soon as you can...” With his hands still trembling rather aggressively, it took a couple of attempts to hang the phone back up on the wall, but once he had managed he came to sit at the table, idly massaging his bruised neck. He watched his friend with concern. Billy had never killed a man before, and he wouldn’t have thought Erik would be the type to take murder lightly, either. “Are you alright, mate?” he asked. "That was pretty fucking wild..."

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik
Misty Gray Spencer

 

[BloodLightning27]

Chapter 2: Making ConnectionsTuesday 19th March 1985
...4 days later...
New York City: Evening - Mild, Clear Skies​

~Riker's Island: James Edwards~​

The first four nights at Riker's Island was relatively uneventful for the former Navy SEAL Sniper. How did he fall so far, he could only wonder? Would life be better if he had just stayed in Texas after deciding not to re-enlist? And enjoying the quiet life with his family, helping his parents run the family bar that has been there for generations. But he decided against that and look at where it got him. Looking at his Navy SEAL Tattoo on his forearm in shame, James shook his head. Oddly enough, this wasn't the first time he had been in prison, as he briefly saw capture during one of his deployments in Vietnam. Still, Riker's Island was like heaven compared to the week of captivity with the North Vietnamese Army.

With it being well into the evening and not too much free time left, James would take his shot at the prison gym lifting weights to pass time. Despite being in reasonable shape, it was nice to be able to keep it up even behind bars. Although there was a lot of negatives, it wasn't all bad...He got three meals a day and the Corrections Officers often left him in peace. After all, he may as well make the best of it because he was going to be stuck on this island for the next fifteen years at least. Three meals a day, a weight room to use and hopefully he would be left alone. However, with what he has been hearing amongst the prison gossip, James could not help but wonder about two particular prisoners; Kurt Reznik and James Porter, two members of the Irish Mob. So far, he had managed to steer clear of them as he was not all that interested in getting swept up in gang affairs. But if he ended up on their radar, which he highly doubted, he would have to be on their good side if it meant not getting hurt or killed. But what could two Irish Gangsters want with a Washed Up Soldier like him anyway? One thing was for sure, he wanted to know if they did, but at the same time, he did not.

Soon, free time was up and James was quietly led back to his cell. Once he heard the unmistakable sound of it being locked, James began shadow boxing, facing the wall instead of the bars behind him. "The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday." He said quietly to himself.

James Porter (Mentioned) Misty Gray Kurt Reznik (Mentioned) Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Erik Snowden
~ Bethnal Green, London~

Adrenaline coursed through Erik's veins as both he and Billy tried to gather their bearings. One moment they were talking about getting a drink and the next fighting to stay alive. Trevor had duped them into thinking he was out cold and gotten the drop on them which pissed him off. He wasn't sure exactly what he was mad at but his blood had been boiling. Erik had expected Billy to continue driving the moment Trevor had been dealt with but he hadn't. He kept looking at the dead body, no doubt taking in the sight and the mess it had made. Had the car not been moving Erik would have been able to deal with it in a cleaner manner. "Billy, come on buddy. You gotta keep driving." He said, both concern and urgency in his voice. Getting pulled over by a cop or someone coming up to the car was going to cause them nothing but more trouble than they could probably handle at the moment. The moment the car started to move he was able to relax a bit, looking around to make sure they weren't followed. There was nothing he could do about the dead body at the moment.

Erik had kept an eye on Billy the entire time considering he was almost strangled to death. The man looked more distressed than he had ever been which led Erik to the conclusion that his friend wasn't used to this sort of thing. When they pulled into the garage, he expected Billy to start asking him questions about what he had just did but he asked him to put on a kettle instead. At first he hesitated, not wanting to leave him alone. Trevor was dead, that much was for sure, but he still hadn't wanted to leave his side. After a few seconds he took a deep breath and did as was asked of him leaving his gun on the dashboard. Once he found the kitchen he moved to fill the kettle with water in preparation for tea, setting it on the stove. He was about to move back out to the car when Billy walked inside and the two locked eyes.

He could see the distress in it and hear it in his voice as he talked to Spencer and felt bad. Maybe one shot would have been fine; would've been enough to subdue him to drop the shoelace. But subduing the man wasn't on his mind as much as protecting Billy was. No, he wanted to make sure the man who had just threatened his friend's life never got the chance to do so again. His eyes followed Billy as he moved to sit at the table, crossing his arms. All he wanted to do was make him feel better and calm him down but he wasn't sure how he was going to do that. "Me?" He started, slowly making his way over to him. "Well, it's my first time killing for you but that sort of thing gets easier." The moment he was in front of Billy, he brought his hands up to his neck softly to examine the bruising and make sure there were no cuts. It wasn't until he looked into his eyes again that he lingered for a little too long. Clearing his throat he stood up. "You need ice for that."


Billy ( Pyroclast )
​

 

[Pyroclast]

Jane Carriveau-Porter​

Pizza night with the family was one of the highlights of Jane’s week. It wasn’t just that she loved pizza - with the same toppings as Jeanie, obviously - or the quality time she got to spend with her family, or even the excitement of going out for dinner. More than that, she liked the routine. With her parents always having been on awkward terms, Jane craved stability, anything that was predictable was a comfort to her. So when Roxie changed their schedule to move their weekly outing to a different day, she wasn’t too happy. Even though she hadn’t been stressed about the exam before, knowing that she had lost an evening to prepare herself made her annoyed with her mother. She had actually been looking forward to the study session with Jeanie and Cynthia, as she always found it easier to focus when her friends were there studying with her. Although Matthew’s offer was kind and she would probably take him up on it if Jeanie did, she knew it wouldn’t be as engaging or fun. Besides, the best part was always the gossip breaks!

It turned out that JJ had some gossip of his own as his protests against getting his hair meddled with were apparently for the sake of a pretty girl from school sitting a few tables away with her parents. When Roxie quietly complimented the young girl’s appearance, most likely to wind up JJ, he batted her away and protested further. After further teasing from Jeanie, their brother ended up throwing a breadstick at her before being told off. “Girls only like mature boys, JJ. Boys who eat with their mouths closed and don’t play with their food!” With a mischievous smile, Jane leaned into her sister’s ear, covering her mouth secretively, and whispered, “Now we know JJ’s secret we can use it against him and get him to do whatever we want!” She giggled as she pulled herself away again, turning to JJ with a smug grin.

Interactions
Misty Gray Matthew
Bellz Roxie, Jeanie, JJ

 

[Misty Gray]

Wycliff Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~

Valentina Wycliff​

Valentina saw how Teddy covered his mouth with his hand upon hearing the full story. She grimaced as she took his reaction as confirmation she wasn't overreacting about her own mistake. After being given some time to think about it, Teddy eventually spoke up. He reassured her she hadn't done anything wrong and that she'd been right to set the horrible hotel guest straight. "Exactly. It doesn't matter how rich they are, they still have to be called out. The hotshots are probably the worst ones for treating women that way," she reasoned. She thinly smiled as her husband pulled her in for an embrace. She was glad he understood why she'd had to stick up for her employees. She listened as Teddy confirmed it was likely the man would complain to Gabriel and that Gabriel would indeed be unhappy with what she had done. He then told her he thought it would be best if she warned her father before his meeting. "You're right..." she admitted, with a soft sigh. "He'll be pissed off, but it won't be nearly as bad as if I don't warn him before his meeting." She rested the side of her face against Teddy's chest as they continued to embrace. "I'd best get a sleeping bag ready so I can join Rocco in the doghouse," she joked.

Valentina smiled as her husband softly stroked her hair. Though she knew he'd tell her if she was wrong, she also loved that he was always so supportive of her. She always felt safe, loved, and important to him. When he spoke again to mention a break, her eyes widened as she suddenly had memories of her father telling her she couldn't handle both the job and her children. However, when he followed up by suggesting a family vacation, she held back from speaking and instead let him continue before reacting. "You're right, they have been stuck in New York," she softly reasoned. "I guess I do have some good teams working for me and they could probably manage to keep the hotels in one piece for a couple of weeks."

Valentina pulled away from their hug but took hold of both of his hands as she looked up to him with an excitement in her eyes. "We need to go somewhere that's warm and with a beach. Definitely a beach," she enthused. "We could show them Miami. Maybe even spend some of the break in Orlando so the kids can see Disney World! Shall we do that?" she happily asked him.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Nostalgic Notes
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead looked to Shinoa with something of a surprised expression as the teenager said she'd been staying in a Dublin hotel for the last 6 months. "That doesn't sound like an appropriate situation. I can't imagine it's cheap paying to stay in a hotel for so long and when the baby arrives you both need stability," she told her. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but you shouldn't looking for a full-time job, right now. You first need to be sorting out a more permanent living arrangement as well as how you're going to support yourself and your child. I don't just mean with money, I mean physically and mentally - it's a lot of hard work caring for a baby." She studied the girl for a moment before speaking again. "You should try reaching out to your family. Do you have parents, siblings, or anyone you can call? No matter what led to you ending up in this situation, you're a kid yourself and you're pregnant, so nothing else can be more important than them making sure you're safe."

Sinead folded her arms as she tried to think of other options. "If that's not going to work, you should call or visit the social support services. They have an office in the city. They might be able to offer you free accommodation and support, or at least put you in touch with services in your hometown who can help you." Sinead closed the document in front of her, knowing in good conscience she couldn't even waste the girl's time by interviewing her and giving false hope. There was no way a new mother could be working full-time with nobody to support her or babysit for the newborn. "And I won't have you struggling to walk back to the hotel today. I can get one of my trusted drivers to take you home."

BloodLightning27 (Shinoa)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Islington, London ~

Savannah Callahan and Kerry Patrick​

Kerry was about to accept the offer of a stiff gin before Braden gave her a second option. "Oh, a glass of wine will do just fine, thank you," she requested from him. Once he returned and the drinks were poured, she brought the glass to her lips and took a small drink from it before placing the glass delicately back onto the coffee table. She smiled warmly when Braden spoke of his mother being a strong person. "I'm glad to hear she is doing okay. She's always been kind to me on the occasions we've met," she recalled. She sent him a knowing look when he mention how quiet life was in Dublin, having first-hand knowledge of some of the troubles the family had faced in New York. "Things are much better for all of us away from New York City, there's no doubt about it."

Kerry smiled brightly when Braden mentioned being kept busy by his daughter. Although she'd always wanted children, she'd never been in a relationship long enough to consider having a child with any partner. "Oh, I love children. I bet if you did bring your daughter to London, Callum would enjoy having his cousin to play with," she happily told him. When Braden handed her a photograph of Hattie, she placed her hand to her chest as she looked at Hattie's photo. "Aww, she looks so sweet," she gushed. "Savvy has mentioned you and Hattie before. It's good to put a face to Hattie's name... and to finally speak with you," she said, looking back to him and studying his handsome features for a short time. "Your daughter looks adorable," she softly told him, passing the photograph back to him so he could store it away safely in his wallet.

"Oh, well, there's a great takeaway that does Indian food. There's even this nice place that sells fish and chips. That meal is so basic, but I love it. The English think it's kind of a big deal too," she remarked. When asked how London was treating her, she softly nodded. "Overall, it's been pretty good. I work at one of the Kings' clubs and things feel much safer here than they did in America. Lately, though, it's not been quite so fun. With the political tensions going on in Northern Ireland and the attacks here in England, it's not been the best place for me to be. Given I was born in Belfast, I've been on the receiving end of a few nasty comments. But not everyone is like that, of course. Spencer has stuck up for me a few times, too..."

Savannah had returned downstairs, noticing her brother and Kerry seemed to be getting along. She had intended to give them a little more time to talk without interruption, but the knocking at the door prompted her to make her presence known. "Callum! Come on down. Uncle Spencer is here," she called up to her son from her position at the bottom of the stairs. She then walked to the door and pulled it open, greeting Spencer and inviting him inside. Spencer entered the house and stood in the doorway of the lounge, but didn't commit to entering the room. "Braden. Kerry," he greeted the two, giving them each a small nod of the head. "Are you both good?" he politely asked them.

"Would you like to stay for a drink or anything?" Savannah asked, even if deep down she hoped he'd turn down her offer.

"Nah. Thanks for the offer, but I've had a busy day, so I'm just looking forward to a relaxing evening with a beer and the footy," he told her. Despite the urge to be blunt with Savannah, he decided against it. He still wasn't happy that she'd stayed in Dublin longer than intended and Callum had missed out on spending the weekend with the Kings. Whilst he was still concerned she was intending to leave London, he knew it would be wiser to be civil and keep her on side, rather than fall out with her and give her an excuse to leave.

Speaking directly to Spencer, Savannah looked the man in the eyes. "Callum is really excited about seeing Alex whilst he's staying with you guys. I told him his dad might be away on business, but can you try to make sure Alex does spend some time with him? I can only pretend Alex is the superhero Callum thinks he is for so long. I need you guys to do your bit too..."

"Leave it with me, Sav. There's no need to dictate shit to me. I know how to deal with Callum, and Alex, for that matter," he firmly told her. Hearing the small footsteps descending the stairs, Spencer's face softened into a bright smile just in turn to greet his nephew. With his small backpack over his shoulders, Callum rushed towards Spencer in time for the man to crouch down and catch him in a tight hug. "Jeez, look at you, big man!" he greeted his nephew, pulling back from the cuddle and ruffling the kid's hair. "Have you got everything you need in there," he said, lightly tugging on the boy's backpack. Once confirmed, Savannah then handed Spencer the sports bag containing Callum's clothes for the next few days.

"Bye bye, Mummy!" Callum said as Savannah bent down to give her son a soft kiss. "Bye Brady. Bye Kerry," he called out. He then took hold of Spencer's hand and walked with him out of the house.

Savannah closed the door behind them before returning to the lounge and sitting next to Kerry, pouring herself a glass of wine. "All things considered, that actually went better than I imagined. Spencer's clearly still got a stick up his ass about me being in Dublin though," she complained, letting out a sigh. She then perked up, looking between Braden and Kerry. "How are you both getting along?" she curiously asked.

Bellz (Braden)
Mentioned: @Enzyme (Alex)